Don't You Worry, Child
by charmed-seconds
Summary: At the age of fifteen, Chris Halliwell never thought he would have to feel his life falling out of his very hands. Nosebleeds, weakness, and bruises turns into months of pain, tears and fear. He can feel Death's hand on his shoulder; but just like his ancestors before him, Chris refused to let Death take him without a fight.
1. Part One

**Author's Note : **Now, some of this might be familiar as this is a re-write to an earlier Charmed story I did last year titled A.L.L. Not a lot is going to differ from the previous plot; but, it will be more in-depth. Furthermore, this isn't really beta'ed due to a lack of one and my abysmal attempts of being one. If there are any glaring mistakes, please let me know either in a review or on my Facebook page (link in my profile). Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this story!

**Warnings : **Medical Procedures and Mentions of Terminal Illness (Cancer)

**Disclaimer : **I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. Furthermore, I do not own the title of Don't You Worry Child as it was coined by the Swedish Mafia House and, pretty much, who ever owes the rights, they do and I don't.

* * *

**_Part One_**

Chris leaned against the shower wall, a sigh escaped into the steamy mist, and he allowed his eyes to close. A sense of weariness fell onto his shoulders and spread throughout his body. He took a deep breath of the warm air and promptly cursed when he felt the familiar burn in his right nostril.

His eyes - a bright sage green - snapped open and he glanced down at his chest. Droplets of red hit his skin, the water making it spread in a morbid mockery to a family of rivers. He leaned back. He couldn't help but gag when he felt sharp, tangy blood trickle down the back of his throat.

He tipped his head forward and allowed the blood to flow as he quickly washed his hair. Once he was done, he pinched the end of his nose hoping to stop the bleeding. With his free hand, he quickly and haphazardly washed up before shutting the shower off with his elbow.

Slowly, he relinquished the hold he had on his nose and simply stood in the shower. The seconds ticked by and he clenched his eyes shut when he felt the languid flow fall from the top of his nose until he felt a droplet hit the back of his hand. Exhaling slowly, he quickly tore a piece of toilet paper and rolled it up before he stuffed it up in his nostril.

He refused to look in the mirror knowing that he looked like a complete fool. He pulled on his pajamas - a simple pair of dark blue sweatpants and a loose, old, soft soccer t-shirt. Hearing a knock on the door, he rubbed his forehead before opening the door with a raised eyebrow.

"Again?"

He sent a small smile at his older brother. Standing a good four inches above him, Wyatt Halliwell was a standing example of the All-American Boy. Blond hair, blue eyes, kind and sporty, he was everything that their father - Leo - hoped in a son. "I'm fine, Wy." he muttered, "Dinner ready?"

Wyatt nodded, "Mom made your favorite."

Chris rolled his eyes but said nothing. A month ago, his mother succulent roast beef and delicious, buttery potatoes would've made him go for more until his stomach was plump full and ready to burst. Now, it - and all food - only made his stomach churn with nausea.

He made his way down the small set of stairs, his brother in front of him. "Oh, Peanut," his mother frowned as she took Chris's face between her hands, "Another one?"

Chris sent his mother a comforting smile, "I'm fine. They're just nosebleeds. Could be worse."

"You never had them before," Piper tsked as she tilted his head, "Maybe I should take you to Sheffield."

Chris lightly took his mother's hands off of his face, "I don't need to go to the doctor, Mom. I'm fine. Can we just eat?"

Piper frowned and released her hold on her son although it was obvious that the conversation wasn't over. Chris sent his mother a small smile and settled in the seat beside his brother and looked at his plate. It was plump full of meat and potatoes and while his mouth watered his stomach recoiled. He forced a third of the meal into his stomach before he simply couldn't take it anymore. He continued to play with the food, hoping to give the appearance that he didn't in fact eat more than a superficial amount. "Do you want more potatoes, son?" Leo asked, the bowl already in his hand.

Chris shook his head, "Had a large lunch," he said, "I'm gonna go work on some homework,"

He saw his mother's expression turn gloom when he stood up and headed into the kitchen to clean his plate off. After scraping the leftovers into the bin, he gingerly reached up and pulled the wad of toilet paper out of his nose. The tip was dark with dried blood. He lightly dabbed the end of his nose and let out a breath of relief when no fresh blood appear on his fingers.

He placed his plate into the sink before heading upstairs and without a second thought, Chris collapsed into bed. Through half-closed eyes, he saw his stuffed backpack mere feet from where he lay but the energy simply wouldn't come. Even his telekinesis refuse to heed his call.

Grabbing his comforter, he wrapped it around his body, and even with the sun still in the sky, he drifted off to a deep sleep.

* * *

It was fourteen hours later when he awoke to the sharp shrill of his alarm clock. He opened his eyes and reached blindly to the right to quiet the alarm for a few more seconds. However, the movement made his cheek touch something hard on his pillow. He stopped and saw the familiar pool of blood that seemed to appear every morning.

Sitting up, he glanced at the screaming alarm and hushed it with a narrowing of his eyes. His fingers, trembling slightly, graced the dried blood. A feeling of dread and fear spread throughout his body. Even now, he felt the slight flow of blood from his nose. It wasn't enough to grab a tissue but it was enough for him to lightly dab the end of his nostril. A single pindrop of blood sat on the bed of his fingertip. He closed his eyes. Something was wrong.

How does one go from healthy to seemingly bleeding out of his nose in a matter of weeks?

* * *

"You need to eat, Chris,"

Chris glanced up at his father, the man's worrying blue-green eyes settling on his tried sage ones. Looking back at his plate, Chris could see the three small bites he managed to take before his minute appetite vanished. With a long sigh, he put more noodles on his fork and took another bite.

"Honey," Piper glanced at Leo as if seeking aid, "Peanut, I think it's time you go see a doctor. I mean, you're losing weight."

"Well, Wy always said I was on the chunky side," Chris weakly joked, "I'm fine, Mom, I swear."

"You're always tried," Wyatt mumbled, "And those nosebleeds..."

"I'm fine." Chris stated strongly. He couldn't believe anything else. "Look, I'm eating." he said, holding up a forkful of beef with a tight smile.

Leo frowned, "Your mom will set a date, Chris. The nosebleeds..." Leo trailed off, "You need to get check out, for our sakes, please."

Chris sighed, "Don't know why you're asking me, you probably already did it.' he mumbled under his breath as he played with his noodles and beef.

"Next Thursday," Piper answered.

Chris nodded and put down his fork. "I'm going to go work on some homework." he said, standing.

"Chris -"

Chris chuckled and reached over his mother's chair to give her an awkward one-armed hug, "Mom, I'm not mad, Jesus. You act like I'm gonna flip out because you want to make sure I'm okay."

Piper chuckled and lightly patted her son's arm before giving it a squeeze, "I love you, Peanut."

Chris pecked the top of his mother's head, "Love you too, Mom."

* * *

The cool shower water cascaded down his body, his forearms braced against the tiled wall. His eyes were clenched shut and he knew that blood once again poured from his nose. He took a deep breath only for his chest to seize up. His body instinctively curled into itself as a series of harsh coughs were torn from his throat.

In anger, he slapped the wall. He could feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. He felt as if he was slowly turning into an invalid. Leaning back, Chris allowed the spray to hit him in the face to clean off the blood from his latest nosebleed. He only had five more days and then he would, hopefully, get an answer on what was going on with his body.

A knock on the door jarred him. "Y-Yeah?" he called out, his hands combing through his hair.

"You done yet? We're gonna be late for school." Wyatt responded.

"Yeah, be out in a second." He said as he turned the shower off.

Stepping out, Chris quickly dressed and headed to his bedroom. Turning towards his closet, he frowned as he grabbed a thick, black hoody. He glanced out the window. It was in the midst of spring in San Francisco; trees were blossoming and children were itching to get out of school in a matter of weeks. Temperatures were in the seventies and yet he was still bundled up as if it was autumn.

"Anytime now Chris!" Wyatt called from the front door, no doubt tapping his toe in impatience.

Chris pulled the hoody over his head and grabbed his backpack. Rushing, he trotted down the stairs. "About time-" Wyatt's voice suddenly faded and Chris felt himself clutch the bottom of the railing as if it was lifeline. His vision was tunneling and he felt as if he was underwater. Then, as quickly as it came, it vanished. The foyer came back in sharp detail, his brother's concerned face mere inches from his own. "Chris?"

Chris slowly shook his head, "I'm fine, just...came down the stairs too fast or something."

"You sure? Maybe you should sit for a few seconds."

Chris batted his brother's hands away, "I can sit in the truck. We're already running late, come on."

He made it three steps before his vision went black.

* * *

When he came to, he found himself moved to the couch and his mother's hands going through his hair. His temples pounded in time with his heartbeat and he felt as if a great weight had settled on his chest. "Peanut?"

Chris slowly turned his head and met his mother's gaze. "What happened?" he choked out.

"You passed out," Leo answered as he gently took Chris's wrist into his hand and mentally counted his youngest son's pulse, "At least your pulse is normal."

"You have a fever," Piper whispered, "Why didn't you tell us you felt sick?"

Chris raised an eyebrow at his mother and forced back a witty remark. Instead, he settled with a shrug as an answer, "Where's Wy?"

"Getting you some water," Piper replied.

"Oh," Chris breathed before slowly pushing himself up, "I guess this means I'm excused from going to school."

"Maybe we should take you to the E.R." Leo suggested.

"No. Oh no. I'm fine."

"You passed out, bud," Leo said, "That's not normal."

"Yeah, well, neither is telekinesis and I seem to do fine with that."

"Not funny," Piper stated, "Maybe your father is right."

"No. I mean, I'm going to the doctor in, what, five days?" Chris argued.

"I don't know, Chris."

Chris looked up and saw his brother standing in the archway between the conservatory and the living room, his knuckles turning milky as he clutched the glass of water in his hand. "I'm fine, Wy. I think I would know if something was wrong with my body." he said, "I'll just take it easy until I go to the doctor, okay?"

Piper frowned, obviously not keen on the idea but relented. "I'll make you a big breakfast," she said, patting his knee as she stood.

Chris watched as his mother headed to the kitchen, her hands balled by her sides and her shoulders quivering. "Hey Dad,"

"Yeah?"

Chris looked at his hands. "Do you think you can at least call Sheffield and see if I can get in earlier?"

Leo looked at his son before nodding, "I can do that."

Chris closed his eyes, "Do you have any idea what's wrong with me?"

Leo gingerly sat beside Chris and brought him close. "No, I don't." clutching his eyes shut, he buried his face in his son's thick, brown hair, "And that's what scares me the most."

* * *

Chris grimaced when his name was called out, his mother patting his hand as if beckoning him, and followed his father and her into the doctor's office. Doctor Ashley Sheffield was a middle-age woman that just had the hint of smile lines around her mouth and crow's feet spreading from her eyes. Bouncy red curls fell gracefully around her face and Chris remembered playing with them as a toddler.

"Piper, Leo," she greeted warmly, embracing the both of them fondly, "And Christopher, don't worry, child, I foresee a growth spurt in your future."

Chris scowled as his father chuckled. It wasn't a secret that Chris most likely inherited his mother's short stature instead of his father's taller one. She grinned and opened the faux wood door and waved them in. Chris plopped himself up on the metal bed, his parents taking seats in the offered seats beside the door.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" Ashley inquired, her hands absentmindedly warming up her stethoscope, "Hopefully, this won't be too cold," she whispered before she placed it on Chris's heart.

"He's always tired," Piper began, "Hardly eating. And three days ago, he passed out."

"He also has frequent nosebleeds that came out of nowhere." Leo added.

Ashley hummed under her breath as she shifted her stethoscope, "Deep breath."

Chris did as instructed and then repeated once more. "Well, your breathing and heartbeat sounds good," she remarked before scribbling something down on Chris's chart. "Look up for me dear," she said.

Chris frowned and tilted his head skyward. He winced when he felt Ashley's nimble fingers dig into the underside of his jaw and the sides of his throat. "Interesting." she mumbled.

"What's interesting?" Chris inquired.

"Nothing, your lymph nodes are just slightly swollen." she answered, "But that could be because of something as simple as a small virus going through your system right now, nothing to be alarmed."

After a few more tests, Ashley leaned back and looked at her patient's chart. "It's probably an onset of anemia due to an iron deficiency. Nothing too serious, just a change of diet and some supplements should reverse the fatigue and other symptoms. But to be on the safe side, I'm going to withdraw some blood and send it out for a full CBC. I'll be right back." she said

Chris scowled as he watched Ashley leave the doctor's office. Piper rolled her eyes. Leaning forward, she lightly smacked Chris's knee, "It's a needle prick, calm down."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," grumbled Chris.

Ashley came in with a bubbling smile and a small tray. Pulling a computer chair closer to Chris, she placed her instruments beside him. Glancing at it, Chris could easily spot the long needle and the two vials that would soon be full of his blood. Grimacing, he extended his arm. Ashley chuckled and grabbed a cotton ball. She soaked it in some rubbing alcohol and dampened Chris's inner elbow with it. The snap of latex made Chris jump slightly. Ashley smiled and picked up the syringe, "You might feel a pinch, hun."

Chris resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'm pretty sure the word 'might' shouldn't be in that sentence."

Ashley laughed through Piper's scolding. "Make a fist, it will make things easier." she instructed.

Chris did as he was told and winced when he felt the needle break his skin. A few seconds later, he felt it withdraw and then dropped back onto the tray. "Alright, I'll send these to the lab and I should get a result in a few days. Until then, I'll prescribe some high-dose iron supplements for you and just try to eat some more red meat, okay? If you come back with anemia, we'll sit down and figure out a more detailed diet."'

Piper nodded and stood up with her husband. Chris slid off of the metal tabletop, frowning as he rubbed his inner elbow, scowling at Ashley while doing so. Ashley gave him a fond pat on the shoulder, "Do you want a lollipop?"

Chris shook his head, "Too close to my dinner," he joked, sending a glance towards his mother.

Ashley laughed, "Tell Wyatt I say hello, and that he can't avoid his check-up forever."

Chris chuckled. It was only fair, he mused, if he had to suffer then so did Wy.

* * *

The days seem to go by sluggishly. Chris wasn't sure if it was because of his general mood since his doctor's appointment Monday or that because even though he was taking the pills and eating every slab of dead cow that graced his plate, he was still feeling as if energy was being sapped out of him with every breath he took. His nosebleeds were still as frequent as ever, although, he attempted to hide the tissues and sheets more as he knew they worried his parents.

It's been three days since his doctor's appointment and he knew his mother was getting antsy about the results. Chris lay on the couch, his head turned towards the television although he wasn't paying attention to the sports game that his brother and father were watching. He was balled up, his hands clutching the thick, navy blue hoody that he nabbed from his brother as he tried to keep the chilled appendages warm.

"You okay?"

Chris jerked when he heard his brother's voice. Turning his head slightly, he saw his brother's attention wasn't on the game any longer; but on him. "Yeah, why?"

"You're shivering, and it's like 75 degrees outside." Wyatt responded before reaching behind him and tossing an afghan at him.

Chris haphazardly covered himself up and closed his eyes. The next time he opened them was when his brother shook him awake. "Daily meat call, kit."

Chris scowled, "Keep eating the damn stuff I'm gonna be bleeding beef."

Wyatt chuckled but frowned as his brother slowly pushed himself up. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Chris groaned but nodded. "Must've slept wrong or something."

Wyatt licked his lips and stood. He started to make his way towards the dining room only to stop when he heard a thud. Turning around, his eyes went wide when he saw his brother on his knees on the floor, his hand clutching his forehead. Wyatt instantly went to Chris's side. His hands helped steady Chris. Leaning down, Wyatt leveled his gaze with Chris's unfocused one. "Chris?"

"Wy?" Chris's wavering voice whispered.

"Yeah, Kit."

Chris closed his eyes, "Get mom and dad." his voice was barely loud enough for Wyatt to hear.

"Chris?" Wyatt's eyes widened when he felt his brother's forehead on his shoulder, "Mom! Dad!"

Wyatt gently lowered Chris so he lay on the floor. Chris groaned and kept his hand on his head. "Kit, I think you're supposed to stay awake in these situations." he muttered. He clutched his brother's hand.

Wyatt turned when he heard his mother's gasp. "He fainted or something."

"Passed out," came the soft rebuttal from Chris.

Leo knelt beside his prone son. "When did it happen?"

"I tried to stand," Chris mumbled, his words coming out slightly slurred, "Then my legs...gave out."

Piper blinked and licked her lips, "This isn't anemia, Leo."

Leo frowned, "Think you can make it to the car, bud?"

Chris nodded although he let his brother help him stand. His legs were like gelatin and he leaned against Wyatt. Wyatt's arm around his waist was probably the only thing keeping from collapsing back onto the floor. The walk to his mother's SUV was one of the longest and tiring of Chris's life even though it was only a few feet.

Chris leaned against Wyatt as they drove to the emergency room. He still felt as if he was on the threshold of passing out again; but, forced himself to stay conscious. Entering the emergency room was a bit of a blur for Chris. He came out of his daze when his father lightly tapped him on his shoulder. "Besides weakness, how are you feeling?"

Chris looked down at his hands, "Hazy, I guess. And, um," Chris licked his lips before he rolled up his sleeve.

"Oh my -" he heard his mom gasp as Leo gently took his son's arm.

His inner elbow was a decorated in an array of blues and purples. Three days ago, it was a clean ivory color and was the site where Chris got his blood taken. Now, it looked as if the joint was broken. Gently, Leo pressed down on the bruise with his thumb, "Does that hurt?"

Chris shook his head. Leo glanced up at his son, "Do you have any others?"

He rolled up his other arm, "It's where Mom squeezed my arm a few days before my appointment," Chris explained softly.

"Jesus," Wyatt muttered, "That's not...not a good sign at all."

Leo frowned but wrote it down on the sheet that a nurse gave him. "Anything else we should know?"

"Nosebleeds," Chris muttered.

"Still?" Piper hissed, "I thought you said they were stopping!"

"I didn't want you to worry,"

Leo sighed, "Alright, I'll take this up to the desk, it will probably be awhile before we get called."

"But we have school tomorrow," Chris argued.

"I think this is a tad bit more important," Piper replied.

Chris gestured towards Wyatt, "What about him?"

Wyatt snorted, "Like hell I'm leaving."

"You have a biology exam," Chris stated, "You've been studying for it for the past week."

"I'm sure if I tell her that I was in the ER with my little brother, will give me a makeup date."

"We're probably worrying over nothing," Chris sighed, leaning back against the plastic chair.

"Get settled, she estimated at least a 3 hour wait," Leo stated as he sat down beside Chris.

"We could just leave," Chris weakly suggested.

Leo looked at his son, "We're staying. I'm sorry, bud, but we need to figure this out before it turns too serious."

Chris sighed but settled. It was twice the estimated amount before Chris's name was called out. Chris was half-asleep when his father helped him stand. He trudged to a thin hospital bed. A thin, tall man walked up. His face bared the signs of a man that was utterly exhausted and stressed. "I'm Doctor Longfield and what seems to be the problem today?" he inquired as he withdrew a pen from his dark purple scrubs.

"My son passed out earlier," Piper quickly explained, "For the past week, he's been lethargic, had numerous nosebleeds, and he has bizarre bruising."

Longfield hummed under his breath, "May I see the bruising?"

Chris rolled up his sleeves and extended his arms towards the doctor. "Do you know how these bruises might have gotten there?" The doctor asked.

"The one on the right probably came from his blood draw when he went to our personal physician this Monday, and then, he says the one on the left came from when my wife lightly squeezed his arm." Leo answered.

Longfield nodded his head and marked it down on Chris's chart. "Let me get his vitals and then get a CBC."

"Yay, losing more blood," Chris whispered as he tilted his head skyward as the doctor felt around his neck.

"Did his doctor notice that his glands were slightly swollen?" Longfield asked Piper and Leo.

"She said it might be a small virus that his body was probably fighting off," Piper stated.

Longfield frowned and glanced at his watch, "Alright, let me get her notes and see what's going on."

Piper nodded, "Thank you, doctor."

Doctor Longfield gave the Halliwells a tense smile before he left the curtained area. "Hopefully he'll finally give us an answer," Leo muttered as he ran a hand over graying blond peach fuzz.

It would be another two hours before Longfield came back to bed 3. Chris was curled up on the hospital bed, his brother clutching his hand as Wyatt sleep peacefully with his head next to Chris's knee. Longfield turned and looked at Piper and Leo, a small, remorseful smile on his face, "If I may, can I speak to you two alone?"

Piper glanced at her husband before slowly turning towards her eldest son. She gently shook Wyatt's shoulder, "Hun," she whispered once Wyatt mumbled something, "Your father and I have to go speak with the doctor okay? Watch your brother for us."

"Okay," Wyatt grumbled before shifting to get more comfortable in his awkward sleeping position.

Piper sighed and stood up. She followed her husband and the doctor away from the curtain area. She and Leo were led to a small room. It was painted in a cool sea green colored and had a couple of armchairs and a cheap coffee table. Hesitantly, she sat down in one of the chairs and instantly grabbed Leo's hand when he took his beside her. The doctor cleared his throat as he settled on the edge of the coffee table. "I took a look at your son's test results from your personal physician. Based on the results and the symptoms that your son is displaying, I want to recommend that you go up to our fourth floor and meet with Doctor Chang."

"Doctor Chang," Piper repeated, "Why the fourth floor?"

Doctor Longfield let out a deep breath, "It's where our Oncology department is housed...and Doctor Chang is our leading expert on pediatric leukemia."

Piper recoiled as if slapped. "Leukemia...you're saying our son has cancer?!"

"His symptoms and blood test are leaning towards that way. Doctor Chang will be able to rule it out if it's not, and if it is...she'll be able to help your son beat it."

"Oh God," Piper gasped, her hand coming to settle on her chest, "My baby."

"I'll let you two settle for a few minutes, then I'll be back."

"Thank you, doctor," Leo said softly.

He waited until he heard the door latch before he allowed his first tears to fall. His son could possibly have leukemia and while he was a whitelighter and his eldest son was the prophesied first-born, he knew that no matter how much they willed it, magic wouldn't be able to help Chris this time. And the thought that he had to sit beside his son's bed and watch him fight a deadly disease while he harbored the power to heal any magical wound utterly crushed him.

* * *

"Peanut?"

Chris grumbled but forced his eyes to open when he felt his mother shake him. "Wha-?"

"Can you sit up, bud?" Leo requested.

His father's forlorn tone made Chris's stomach drop. Slowly, he sat up. When his brother tried to withdraw his grasp on Chris's hand, Chris tightened his hold. He knew the news wasn't good. He needed Wyatt.

He saw the red streaks that marred each of his parents face and he felt ice cold fear wrap around his heart. "Mom? Dad?"

Piper licked her lip and looked at her son, "Peanut, honey, your test results - oh God, I can't do this."

Doctor Longfield stepped through the curtains. He placed a calming hand on his mother's shoulder. "Hey, Christopher, how are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess." Chris answered slowly, "What's going on?"

Longfield let out a long breath, "I requested your CBC information from your personal physician and in collation to your symptoms and the results, I requested that your parents take you up to the fourth floor and to meet with Doctor Chang, who is a oncology doctor that specializes in pediatric leukemia."

Chris froze but he heard Wyatt stammer as he echoed "leukemia."

Chris looked at his parents. His mother was sobbing into his father's shoulder. "I...I have cancer." Chris whispered

"We're not positive yet," Longfield quickly answered "That's why I'm referring you to Doctor Chang so we can rule it out."

"But I most likely have it." Chris stated.

"With the evidence being your symptoms and your blood results, yes, that is a likely diagnosis." Longfield let out a deep breath, "If you wish, you can go right up. I told Doctor Chang that you would be up shortly."

"Oh, um, thank you," sniffled Piper.

Doctor Longfield smiled tensely, giving Piper a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before leaving. "I guess we should go up there," Chris sighed.

"We can wait a few seconds," Piper whispered.

"Not like if I sit here I'm going to magically get better, Mom," snorted Chris.

"Chris." his father weakly scolded.

"Well, it's true," Chris growled as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, "I rather get an answer than sitting here wondering."

Piper let out a deep breath and stood. "Fourth floor, right?"

Leo nodded and gripped his wife's hand. "We'll make it through this," he whispered.

"Yeah," Piper looked at her husband with watery eyes, "But will our son?"


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

The fourth floor was a bit more comfortable looking than the emergency room. The walls were all painted that cool sea green that Leo and Piper saw before and the floors were carpeted in a thin, cheap dark gray. A plump nurse sat behind a desk. Her scrubs were decorated with the characters of Winnie the Pooh and she had a large grin on her face. "Hello, and how may I help you today?" she greeted.

"Um, we were told to come up here from the E.R. We're supposed to see Doctor Chang." Piper explained.

"Oh!" realizations sparked in the nurse's hazel eyes, "Yes, if you please just take a seat behind you, I'll let her know you're up here."

"Thank you," Leo said before he steered his family towards a small collection of chairs.

Chris nervously wrung his hands together. He glanced at his mother, her eyes were still wet with unshed tears and her shoulders quivered as she tried to keep them in. His father couldn't sit still, his anxiety making him pace and nibble at his fingernails. He looked at his older brother and frowned. Wyatt was unnaturally quiet. Curled up in the small chair, he looked like young boy rather than the seventeen-year-old man he really was. "Wy?" Chris whispered.

Blue eyes slowly drifted towards him. "You okay?" Chris inquired.

Wyatt chuckled mirthlessly, "I'm pretty sure I should be asking you that, Kit."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that ridiculous nickname." Chris said lightly, pushing his brother's knee in mock anger.

"Oh, you know that's never gonna happen," Wyatt answered.

Chris rolled his eyes but settled back into the chair. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you okay?" Chris repeated.

"Yes, I'm fine, Chris. I find out that my baby brother could have cancer, yep, perfectly fine."

Chris narrowed his eyes, "I'm not a baby."

"Out of that, you pick that? Chris, you could have cancer and you don't seem fazed!"

Chris sighed, chuckling when he heard his mother hiss at Wyatt to be quiet, "But me falling apart now wouldn't do me any good, would it?" Chris ran a hand over his face, "I-I have to take this one step at a time. Just...one step at a time."

Wyatt frowned and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the nurse calling out his brother's name. The family stood as one and headed towards the smiling nurse. She led them down a short hallway and opened a door before announcing "Doctor Chang, the Halliwells."

"Ah, yes, thank you," A young woman swirled around in a computer chair. She had a small smile on her face as she stood and greeted Piper and Leo with a firm handshake. She was a couple inches shorter than Piper and had a short, cropped bob that framed her face. "Hello, I'm Doctor Jennifer Chang, but please call me Jen. I understand that this can be a stressful time and I know the past few hours have been some long ones," she said, "Now, with Chris's blood results and his symptoms, I would like to request to do a bone marrow biopsy today."

"What is that exactly?" Piper asked.

"What I would do is insert a needle into Chris's pelvis and withdraw a small amount of fluid from his bone marrow. I will then go in with a different kind of needle and withdraw a section of bone for further tests. There will be some discomfort and you'll probably lay in bed all day. I feel that we should figure out what we're dealing with as soon as possible."

Piper glanced at Chris, "Alright."

"Okay," Jen said as she turned back towards her desk and began taking out sheets of paper, "If you could please sign these papers and while you're doing that," twisting, she grabbed a paper hospital gown, "Can you please change into this, Chris?"

Chris took the gown, "Bathroom?"

"Three doors to the left, dear." She said, gesturing, "Also, go to the room right across from the bathroom. That's the examination room and that's where we'll do the biopsy."

Chris nodded and left. Piper looked up at the doctor, "What's the percentage of my son having cancer?"

Jen sat down in her seat and frowned, "Right now, Piper, your son most likely has leukemia. Right now, I'm merely trying to figure out what kind he has and what's the best way to combat it. But I will do everything in my power to get him into remission."

Piper let out a shaky breath and nodded before she bag scribbling her signature on each of the white pieces of paper.

* * *

The metal bed was icy beneath his chest, the thin hospital gown doing nothing to keep it out. "Now, Chris, this should help numb the area a bit," Jen said, and Chris winced when he felt a needle prick his lower back, "And this might feel a bit weird, it's the disinfectant."

Chris's face pulled into a frown as he felt his lower back slathered with a wet substance. "Kit, it looks like your back is bleeding." Wyatt stated.

Chris lifted his head so he could see. "That is just gross."

Jen laughed, "If you could, lay back down. Now, it's important that you lay still."

Chris nodded and settled again. He heard tools clanging together and the sharp snap of latex gloves being put on. He couldn't help but tense when he felt the doctor's hand on his back. "Relax, it will hurt less if you do."

Chris let out a deep breath and clenched his eyes shut. His eyes opened when he felt another hand slip into his. Wyatt sent him a small smile before squeezing Chris's hand. "Thanks," Chris mouthed.

Wyatt didn't say anything, only tightened his grasp. Chris took one more deep breath before he felt the needle break skin. He clenched his hand, knowing that he was crushing Wyatt's hand in the process, but the pain was excruciating. It felt as if a knife was being plunged into his lower back.

"Just a few more minutes,"

Chris squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the needle slowly being withdrawn from his body. It was only mere seconds when he felt another, larger, needle enter his body. He gasped when he felt it dig into his pelvis. It twisted and twisted until he was deep into the bone. The needle was quickly withdrawn. "Okay, I'm going to press this gauze to your back then I'm going to need you to turn over to apply some pressure on it, okay?"

Chris weakly nodded. He gritted his teeth when Jen put the gauze on the insertion spot. "Okay, turn over now, dear."

Chris did so slowly. He hissed when his lower back hit the table. "That site is going to be sore for a few days," Jen explained, "Don't wash the site for 24 hours. There might be some discomfort but that can be eased with some Tylenol. Your back might hurt for a few days so just be easy but you should be able to do your normal day-to-day activities."

"When will the results be back?" Leo inquired.

"In a couple of days," Jen responded, "I'll call you when they do to set up a meeting to sit down and discuss what's going to happen. Okay, dear, you should be able to sit up."

Chris did so, a grimace painted on his face. Jen slowly pulled off the gauze and nodded when she saw no blood on it. "Okay, you can go and get changed dear. Maybe your brother should go with you just to be on the safe side."

Chris nodded and stood with his brother's aid. Slowly, the two Halliwell boys shuffled their way out of the examination room. "Expect a call within 24-48 hours," Jen said, "And hopefully when you come in again, I'll have answer for you and your children."

Piper smiled weakly, "Thank you, doctor."

"Go home and rest," Jen replied, shaking Piper's hand before shifting to Leo's, "It's going to be a long couple of days and possibly months, get the rest while you can. You can wait for your children by the restroom, you're done for today."

* * *

The call came 38 hours after the biopsy. Piper picked up the phone the second it rang, her knuckles white as she listened to Doctor Chang on the other side. Once the short call was done, she quickly ushered her family into the SUV to go back to the fourth floor of the hospital, and Chris had an uneasy feeling that it was going to become a place he would become quite familiar with shortly.

Jen was waiting for them in the lobby when they stepped off of the elevator. She welcomed them with a warm smile and for a fleeting moment Chris thought that she had good news behind the expression. They were crammed into an office room. A large desk was littered with books and paperwork. Two chairs sat in front of the desk and Chris could spot the two they threw into the room for him and his brother.

"Now," Jen started, taking her seat behind her desk and opening up a folder, "We got your test results back and, I'm sorry, but Chris has what we call A.L.L. or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia."

Chris felt his world shatter. He had been foolishly, childishly holding on to that thin thread of hope for the past day and half. Hell, even though he wasn't raised in the Wiccan lifestyle, he looked up and prayed to the Goddess that he didn't have cancer.

"This is a leukemia that is common with children, specifically children and caucasians. However, Chris is a bit out of the usual window that we see children with A.L.L, so with your permission, I would like to send a bit of blood to a doctor that looks at chromosome abnormalities for a few that we know that can trigger this kind of disease to show up in teens. I would also like to, at a later date, to do a lumbar puncture on your son to see if the disease has progressed to his spinal cord or brain."

"Oh God," Piper gasped, "What if it did?"

Jen lowered the folder, "To be frank, it wouldn't be good. It could result in seizures and other symptoms."

"What if he has these abnormalities?" Leo asked.

"Mattering on the abnormalities, it could change the way we fight it." Jen explained, "And the prognosis of the disease. If we know things might appear later on, we can prepare for it. By looking at Chris's blood counts and smear we've isolated the specific type of A.L.L we're dealing with. Chris's leukemia is isolated to his B-cell lymphoblasts."

"What does that mean?" Wyatt said.

Jen sent a small smile at Wyatt, the older brother had his arm wrapped around his stun brother's shoulder. "It merely means that your brother's body is producing too many B-cell lymphoblasts, which are kind of like white blood cells but they're premature, and since your brother's body is overproducing these cells, they're overcrowding his healthy ones and basically snuffing them out."

"How do we beat it?" Piper said.

"I'm won't be able to draw up a specialized treatment plan until I do a spinal tap and get the results about the chromosomes as they could skew the treatment heavily if they come back with certain results. For now, I'm planning the usual chemotherapy. You will have the option to do it here at the hospital here on this floor, or if you have a clinic closer to your home, you may be able to do it there. There will also be chemo in the form of tablets that Chris will have to take every day. Sadly, with this being leukemia, we can't attack a mass in the body. Chris's cancer is literally all throughout his body. So weekly, I would like for him to come here to get chemotherapy specifically to attack the cells in his spinal cord and brain, regardless of the results from the spinal tap. I'm also going to prescribe radiation chemotherapy targeting on his head to make sure no leukemia cells escape the other forms of chemotherapy."

"When-" Leo paused and swallowed, "When do we need to come back in for the spinal tap?"

"In a few days?" Jen said, glancing at her desk calendar, "Maybe on this Thursday, the twenty-third at 2pm? I'll send out the results that day and we should get them on Monday so we'll schedule a follow-up then to set up treatment plans and go over the side effects and what to expect. Do you have any more questions?"

"What are my chances?" came the whispered question.

Jen looked at Chris, a sad smile on her face, "I wish I could give you an answer, dear, but I can't without the last few tests. Monday, I'll give you your chances, but regardless of them, you're going to fight this and you're going to beat it. Keep up the fight and you're eventually beat it, you just got to keep telling yourself that you're going to be victorious."

Chris mutely nodded, his hands nervously rubbing together in his lap. . "Anything else, doctor?" Piper inquired softly.

Jen smiled, "No. I'll see you all Thursday."

"Thank you," Leo said, holding his hand out to help his wife stand. He sent a thankful smile to Wyatt as he helped Chris out the door. "Oh Leo," Piper leaned against her husband, "Our baby boy."

"Everything will be okay," Leo reassured, "Everything is going to be okay," Leo said again; although, this time, he wasn't sure if he was speaking to Piper or himself.

* * *

Family gatherings were quite common within the Halliwell family. They always happened on Sunday; but also whenever they could find time in their busy schedules to see each other. The manor itself was a place of gathering within the family. All the children met there after school, excited to eat Piper's cookies and other baked goods as they doled through their homework. Cousins weren't merely cousins, they were siblings, and aunts and uncles were parents. So, when Piper called for everyone to meet up at the manor in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon, they knew something was wrong.

Paige was the last to arrive, her twins and husband – Henry – joining Phoebe and Coop with their three daughters. "Do you?" She asked her sister.

Phoebe shook her head, "Maybe Chris's test results?" she guessed, "Penelope, please sit still," she scolded, attempting to still the small three-year-old on her lap.

"I wanna play, Momma," Penelope whined.

"Me too!" Helen – Paige's youngest – called out.

"Not now, your Aunt Piper will be here in a few seconds." Paige replied, "Sit on the couch with Patty and _sit nicely_."

Helen huffed, her dark brown eyes flashing with anger before stomping over to the couch and plopped down beside her sister. The last two children – Prudence and Palmyra – sat beside Coop's legs. His hands were gently weaving through his long brown hair, the two girls smiling and chatting with their father.

The conversation stopped though when the eerie, loud squeak of the front door was heard. "You can go upstairs if you want, Peanut." Piper was heard.

"I think I, uh, just go outside for a bit, if that's okay."

"That's fine. Can Wyatt sit with you?"

"Yeah."

The door clicked shut and everyone expected Piper and Leo to arrive in the living room; but it was a few minutes before they showed up. Piper's eyes were lined in red and Leo looked as if he aged twenty years in the matter of hours. "Oh honey, was it anemia?" Phoebe said, "At least we know what's wrong now."

"Phoebe," Piper collapsed into an armchair, "He has cancer, Phoebe. Cancer."

"What?" Paige exclaimed, her eyes wide, "Back up. Cancer?"

"Chris was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia." Leo said monotone, "He—" He cleared his throat, "He goes Thursday for a spinal tap and we get his treatment plan on Monday."

"No, no," Phoebe stammered, her eyes looking at her sisters, "He can't."

Piper held her hand over his mouth but nodded. "My baby boy has cancer…my baby boy could die."

* * *

Chris kept looking at his hands. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps he thought he could see the deadly disease that was pumping through his veins. "I guess our summer will have some excitement," muttered Chris.

Wyatt sighed, "Kit. Not funny."

"Got to find the silver line in this shit cloud," snorted Chris, shifting to lean against Wyatt, "Leukemia….why do I always get the end of the stick and you get candy and rainbows?"

"I don't count my little brother having a deadly disease as candy and rainbows."

"You're not the one with Death lingering over him."

"You're not going to die, I won't allow it." Wyatt stated, wrapping an arm tightly around Chris.

Chris smiled sadly at his older brother, "You know if I do kick the can, there won't any Charmed Ones left…maybe one of the girls will take my place."

"No one is going to take your place." Wyatt replied hotly.

"Kind of have to if I'm six feet under,"

"Stop talking like you're going to die!"

"It's a possibility!" Chris yelled, standing up as he did "I could die. Plain and simple."

"No, you won't," argued Wyatt, "Damn it Chris, we _will _find a way whether it be magic or not, you will live."

Chris laughed mirthlessly, "Magic won't do anything, this is a mortal disease and has to be fought by mortal means."

"The Powers have to make an exception. You're Chris Halliwell, the next in line to be a Charmed One, they have to let you live."

"That don't have to do anything, Wy. Maybe this is part of this master plan. Perhaps I'm destined to die. We don't know what goes on in their damn minds." Chris said, "Instead of dying a few years by a demon, I merely die in a hospital bed as my own damn blood suffocates me!"

Wyatt stood up slowly and gently grasped Chris's arms, "Kit, stop. Just…stop."

"Why?" Chris hissed, "Why should I stop? For a month, I've dealt with nosebleeds, fatigue and random bruises, and instead of getting relief, I only get told that I have months of fucking pain and agony in front of me. Of getting poison pumped into my veins and going to bed every night not knowing if I'll wake up in the fucking morning!"

Wyatt tightened his hold on his little brother, "Chris, calm down."

Chris glared at Wyatt, his eyes narrowing to little slits, "I am calm. If I wasn't, I would be a little child and be weeping at your feet."

"Damn it Chris, you can cry, it won't damn you. You just found you have cancer for God sakes, a few tears are expected."

"Why? So Mom can start sobbing? So Dad can become all silent and tear up?" Chris sighed, his head falling to rest against Wyatt's shoulder, "So you can become all brooding and feel like your failed me for some unfathomable reason?"

Wyatt wrapped his arms tightly around his little brother but said nothing. There was nothing he could say. His brother was in a fight that he couldn't help in. All Wyatt could do is stand behind him and hope that his brother had enough determination, fight, energy and luck to come out on the other side whole.

* * *

He avoided his family by orbing into his bedroom via the backyard. Chris knew that his family was distraught and he should be down there; but, he couldn't. His head pounded and, since the doctor visit, his heart is racing and his stomach was churning. He knew that there was something wrong with him. He only hoped that it was something that was easily fixed and wouldn't take his life away.

Cancer was something that never came to his mind. He was a Halliwell. Their worries were demons and magic; not their blood cells. Illness was something that was thankfully few and far. Sniffles and coughs were yearly things, an influenza and strep throat infection from time to time, the usual that is with every family.

None of his ancestors, to his knowledge had contracted cancer, although Chris wasn't entirely sure any of them lived long enough for them to deal with it. Perhaps his family has carried a deadly gene that had activated in his body and no one knew.

Laying down on his bed, Chris looked up at the clean, crisp white ceiling. He felt as he has before. Tried and ready to slip into slumber, worried only to wake up to a blood covered pillow and new bruises on his arms. But now, it felt as if a weight was resting upon his chest – slowly suffocating him.

Closing his eyes, he turned on his side, his hands clutching the blue fabric beneath them. He felt the sharp sting of tears long before he felt them choke him. With a shaky fist, he lifted it to his mouth and bit into the soft flesh before releasing a scream that spoke of pain and of agony to come.

* * *

"Mommy, where's Chris?"

Phoebe looked down at her youngest child. At the age of three, Penelope Marie Halliwell was a surprise that Phoebe welcomed with open arms and lived with a hoard of older cousins and two older sisters; but yet, Penelope was always most enthusiastic going to the manor for only one person: Chris. The youngest Halliwell male was the one that had the privilege of watching most of his younger cousins as he wasn't as involved in sports like Wyatt was. Gifted with fingers that plucked strings beautifully, Chris somehow inherited the musical talents of his Aunt Paige. Musical talents that put smiles on the family's face as fingers play the old grand piano that put grins on the young girls' lips. While Wyatt was busy with football, baseball or basketball and the adults were at work or dealing with a demon, Chris sat in the manor overlooking five little girls were sisters in all but blood. Chris was his mother's son – watching over the family with no care to himself.

"He's –" Phoebe didn't have an answer for her daughter, no matter how much she wished she could give Penelope one.

"I'm right here, Aunt Phoebe,"

Phoebe looked up. Her nephew stood in the doorway, a wary, weary smile on his face as he gently hugged Helen – Paige's eldest at the age of nine. "Chris!" Penelope yelled from her lap.

Phoebe chuckled as Penelope struggled to get out of her hold. Gently, she placed the toddler on the floor, the young girl instantly running towards her cousin. Chris chuckled and easily picked her up and placed her on his hip. "Hi Penny, how are you today?"

"I can count up to a hundred now!' Penny exclaimed, obviously proud before she quickly became subdued, "Aunt Piper says you sick. You don't look sick."

Chris sighed, "Only slightly; although, I have a bit of a battle ahead of me to get better."

"Like with a demon?"

Chris smiled, "Yes, like a demon."

"Then, you should tell Aunt Piper to go find a spell to make it go boom!"

Chris glanced at his mother when he heard a muffled sob. Turning back towards Penelope, Chris frowned, "I wish it was that easy, Penny. But this is a demon only I can vanquish."

"Oh." Penelope laid her head on Chris's shoulder, "You'll win though. We always win."

Chris tried to smile but he knew it came across more as of a grimace. He clutched his cousin closer but chose not to say anything in fear of adding the pain of a promise broken along with his death.

* * *

The doctor's office nestled on the fourth floor of the County Hospital was become quaint and familiar to Chris. He shuffled in with his family in the early hours, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. His mother tried to keep them going as if this was just a quick pit stop before heading to school and not that Chris was going to get a needle inserted into his spinal cord.

"Good morning," Jen greeted, a tired smile on her face and a thermos clutched in her right hand, "Sadly, running a bit late this morning. If you want to go to the examination room, Chris honey, change into the gown that should be in there and I should be there by time you're done."

Chris walked down the small hallway and entered the examination room. The lights turned on by movement, the bright flash blinding him momentarily. With a grimace, he picked up the thin, sea-green paper gown and shuffled towards the bathroom. By time he got back, clutching the back of his new wardrobe to keep his modesty, Doctor Chang was standing there with a kind smile and a bit more awake.

"Come lay on your side over here, honey." Jen said, gesturing towards the long, metal bed.

Chris laid on his side, his hand cushioning his head from the harsh chill of the metal. "Curl up in a ball," Jen softly instructed, guiding Chris to the correct position.

"Now, I'm going to be inserting the needle into your spinal cord, do not move. You won't feel a thing, but you can't move, alright?"

Chris nodded and let out a deep breath. He felt the sharp prick of a needle breaking the skin and then blissfully nothing. His brows furrowed however when he felt an unusual sensation as Jen, he assumed, gathered the spinal fluid. "Alright, lay there, I'm going to inject a bit of a caffeine in. Drink caffeinated liquids throughout the day and tomorrow so you don't get a headache, if you do get one, just lay down and relax. You can go change now if you want."

"Anything else? Can he go to school today?" Piper asked as Chris scampered out of the room.

"He can, just take it easy. I'll give him a note to get out of P.E. for the rest of the week. He should carry a bottle of soda or tea and drink it, maybe stop at McDonalds on the way and grab a coffee before going to school. If he does that, he should be fine. This isn't as debilitating as the bone marrow biopsy." Jen explained, "Just come back if he starts experiencing pain or the insertion site starts leaking."

Piper nodded and stood, Chris's backpack in her hand. Chris slipped back into the room, black circles under his eyes as always and a tired smile on his lips. He took his backpack from his mother's hand and easily slung it over his shoulder, a hint of anxiety seeping into the action. Jen smiled, "I'll see you on Monday in the afternoon. 4pm good for you?"

"Yes, we'll come right over after they get out of school."

"That will be perfect," Jen said, "Have a good day, all of you. And remember Chris, if you get a headache, lay down. Here's your note to get you out of P.E."

Chris nodded as he took the note, "Thanks."

"You know, you don't have to go to school today," Piper whispered as they walked through the hallway.

Chris sighed as they entered the elevator, "I probably won't be able to go to school in a few days when I start chemo….I just…want to be normal as long as I can before this reality comes and shatters the small shred of fantasy that I'm clinging to."

"Peanut –"Piper frowned.

Chris sent this mother a small smile, "Who would've thought, I want to go to school. I only have a couple more weeks before school is done. And considering the fact that I will probably be part machine by time sophomore year comes about I probably won't be able to attend."

"Don't say that!" Piper hissed, "You could be done with it by time school starts."

The elevator dinged loudly as the doors slid open. Chris chuckled mirthlessly, "Now who's holding onto fantasy," he muttered before walking past his parents and headed towards the car without a backward glance.


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

School drifted by him. He tried to fall back into the familiar rhythm of school and its strict schedule. The algebraic algorithms fell on deaf ears and the structure of the plant cells didn't break through the mental wall. He was tired, angry and longing to go home and collapse into bed. Weariness was quickly settling in and faint tremors were making his hands shake. Eventually lunchtime came and Chris weakly made his feet move towards the cafeteria. "Kit."

Turning, Chris sent a small smile towards his brother. Wyatt jogged towards Chris and clapped a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "How ya feeling?"

"Like a gust of wind could blow me away," Chris mumbled, "And a pillow would be a wonderful miracle."

Wyatt sighed, "You should've went home."

"There are two weeks left in the school year. I want to make it. I will make it."

Wyatt rubbed his eyes with his fingers, "Inside or outside?"

"Outside," Chris answered, leading Wyatt towards the front yard of the High School.

Wyatt followed his little brother to a large oak tree that shadowed most of the yard. Many students were scattered around the yard, some playing catch and others sitting and chatting. Wyatt sat and leaned against the tree. When Chris sat beside him, he wrapped an arm around his little brother. "You're shivering."

"Have been for a week and a half," Chris mumbled as he opened his brown paper sack, "I'm not even hungry."

"You need to eat,"

"I also need chemotherapy apparently."

Wyatt frowned, "Not funny."

"Not too many things are with cancer," Chris mused, "Cancer is a pretty depressing topic. A lot of death."

"Chris, stop." Wyatt demanded, "Just stop, please."

Glancing at Wyatt, Chris sighed, "Wyatt, I...I can't stop thinking about it. I have fucking leukemia. I have cancer...what the fuck did I do wrong?"

Wyatt folded his arms around Chris, cradling his little brother close, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Wy, I wanna go home please, before I pass out in the hallway." Chris grumbled.

Wyatt nodded, "Let's take you to the nurse's office." he said softly, "Then we can go home and you can crash."

Chris's lips twitched, "Sounds like a glorious plan."

* * *

He could hear them talking downstairs. His parents and brother were in the kitchen, their murmurings reaching to his bedroom. Curled up on his bed, Chris tried to ignore the churning in his stomach and the pain in his head. Faintly, he could hear the cup of soda sizzling on his nightstand, his green eyes focused on the bubbling coffee brown liquid. He watched as the bubbles would appear at the bottom and languidly float to the top before popping.

It was something so mundane but yet tranquil. Sighing, he turned to face the wall, his eyes already drooping shut. He knew for the next few months, it would be exactly like this. Laying in bed feeling as if he was on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump off and into the arms of slumber, but forcing himself to staying awake to live every second he could. He no longer felt as if he could call his body his own anymore. His own body had turned against him and has become his biggest enemy.

Even at a young age, Chris always though he would die because of a demon. That's how most of his family died and he assumed he would follow the same path. The whole family, even the youngest at seven, had reached the conclusion that just because they awoke in the morning didn't mean that they would be alive to fall asleep that evening. It was a morbid way of life; but, it was the Halliwell reality that they were born into. Their blood gave them the power to protect themselves, but it also was their damnation.

Only, in the midst of all the demon fighting and horrid attempts at keep a facade of having a normal life, the sheer idea that a terminal illness could sneak up and snatch one of them away never entered anyone's thoughts. Their life was too outrageous for something as mundane and everyday as cancer to come up. It was always about this demon and that demon.

Chris cleared his throat, feeling it closing as tears beaded up in his eyes. He wanted to run as far as he could, only his body didn't even have enough energy to make it through a school day. Rolling over to his back, Chris covered his eyes with his arm.

He was only fifteen. He should be desperate to get his driver's license; to get his first car and the unfortunate rite-of-passage of getting his first job in a short few months when he turned the big one-six. Chris let out a humorless laugh. He would probably be attached to a myriad of tubes and his body was going to be pumped full of chemicals and poisons when he turned sixteen.

If he made it to sixteen.

He felt the tears trickle down his cheeks. He felt the sobs make their way up his throat. In an attempt to muffle them, he covered his mouth with his hand, his teeth clamping down onto the fisted appendage. He longed to feel his mother's hands weaving through his hair, his father's constant, comforting presence, and his brother's arms wrapped around him. He wanted the sheltering comfort; but, he knew he couldn't ask for it. His family was in utter disarray.

He could remember hearing his mother's broken sobs as she wept into her husband's chest. He could hear his brother throughout the night, mumbling in his sleep and throwing things. His family was breaking apart.

Closing his eyes, Chris allowed himself to fall into silent tears. He rolled onto his side and curled up into a ball. A couple minutes later, he found himself in slumber's tight hold with drying tears on his cheeks.

* * *

The soft whine of the violin brought Piper out of her morose thoughts. Peering up from the bowl full of cookie dough, she glanced up at the ceiling. She smiled and quickly grabbed the towel that was sitting beside her haphazard work station. She wiped her hands clean as she walked up the stairs. The notes were quick but yet beautiful, her lips automatically turning upward as she listened to her son play.

Leaning against the door frame, she watched as Chris continued to play, his eyes closed as he focused on the chords and notes of the piece. His fingers gracefully moved up and down the neck as the violin bow languidly played a string of chords. Her son was always the musical one within the Halliwell family. Where he got it, Piper wasn't sure. Neither her or Leo had much musical talent. She could barely remember the notes on the piano from all those lessons years ago. Wyatt, and the other children, were more in tuned with sports. Phoebe's girls flocked towards cheerleading and gymnastics, while Paige's went towards volleyball and basketball. Wyatt was just like his father and loved the sport of football and baseball. Chris dabbled in soccer; but, Piper knew his heart was truly into music.

With a fond smile, she reminisced when she caught a four-year-old Chris sitting on the piano bench, hesitantly playing a few notes on the old grand piano that was in the conservatory. When she walked into the room, she remembered that Chris's eyes widened in fear of punishment. His little fingers were hovering above the ivory keys. She chuckled , which calmed the little boy, and pressed a few notes herself. Moments later, she found herself playing the few chords she knew to a giggling toddler on her lap.

A few months later, for his fifth birthday, Piper had told him that she signed him up for piano lessons at the local music shop. Piper vowed that she never saw a smile that large on Chris's face since. Since then, Piper found herself buying a violin, guitar and saxophone for her son; and while they didn't appeal to her checking account, her son's enjoyment and enthusiasm made them worth the few cutbacks she had to make.

When she heard the notes taper off, Piper clapped lightly. "Mom?" Chris said, his head whirling around, a faint blush blossoming on his cheeks.

"Beautiful," Piper praised, "Wasn't expecting a concert today."

Chris shrugged and looked at the dark wood violin that was settled on his lap, "Thought I should play while I could."

Piper felt her heart constrict. She tried to keep the ever budding tears down; but, they refused to listen. "Oh honey," Piper whispered as she sat beside her son and gathered him into her arms, "My baby boy."

"Not a baby," was the quick, usual response.

Piper chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of Chris's head, "You'll always be my baby boy. My little Peanut. It doesn't matter if your two or forty."

The small nagging voice in the back of her mind whispered that he wasn't a guarantee that Chris would even make it to sixteen, let alone forty. She clutched her son closer. She felt him collapse, her son uncharacteristically taking the comfort of a mother's embrace. Piper cradled him close, her hands gently petting the soft, brown mop of hair. "You need a haircut," she whispered.

Chris chuckled, "Yes, Mom."

* * *

The weekend seemed to slide by. Even though he tried to stay awake, Chris found himself curled up in his bed or on the couch for most of Saturday sleeping. Sunday he forced himself to be active and play with his little cousins when the family came over for their weekly get together. The heavy air lingered throughout the day. No one wanted to talk about the leukemia but yet everyone wanted to. Although, Chris couldn't stop himself from hugging Penny close when the precious three-year-old sat on his lap and asked if he vanquished the demon yet.

Monday came and Chris found himself ushered to the doctor's office midway through school. He found himself cramped into the small office on the fourth floor of the General Hospital. Doctor Jennifer Chang sat behind her desk with a fond smile that was somewhat forced. Her hair was coming out of her tight bun from her day at work, and black bags were already starting to form underneath her brown eyes.

"How are you doing today?" She asked politely.

The Halliwells gave a murmur of answer. With a small exhale, she picked up a thin manila folder. "Your test results came back early this morning. Luckily, your spinal tap shows no indication that the leukemia has taken roots there yet. Unfortunately, your chromosome tests came back with a hit. Chris has what we call the Philadelphia Chromosome. Its when a section of the ninth chromosome and the twenty-second swap a section and is probably the reason why your son developed A.L.L. at such an age."

"What does it mean though?"

Jennifer sighed, it long and wary, "It's usually an indicator for a rough and long battle. It's a bad prognosis for the disease, so we'll have to be more aggressive than usual."

"So my chances are slim." Chris stated, his hand tightening around Wyatt's.

Jennifer frowned, "I wouldn't say that, honey. It's just merely going to be a tougher road that we initially thought."

Chris closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair. Squeezing his eyes shut, Chris lightly banged his head against the wall behind him, the muted thud making Piper and Leo wince. "Don't do that," Wyatt whispered, "Can I-"

Jennifer nodded, "You can go, I merely need to discuss some treatment details with your parents. Why don't you take your brother for a can of soda?" she sent Wyatt a small smile as he gathered his brother and led him out, "Good kids you have there,"

Piper smiled "Yeah. They've always been close."

Jennifer nodded, "Chris will need all the support he can get." She sighed and withdrew a thick packet of papers from her folder, "Now, this is the runthrough of the treatment schedule for Chris and the side effects of them. He will be on both oral and intravenous chemotherapy treatment. Furthermore, weekly, I would like Chris to go through radiation therapy to reduce the chance of his leukemia spreading into the spinal cord or his brain. Now, I'm sure you know the typical side effects of these treatments : hair loss, nausea, fatigue." she listed off, "However, there are more...atypical side effects : joint pain, stomach pain, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness."

"Pain?" Piper echoed, her eyes widening.

Jennifer leaned forward, her chin resting on her interlaced fingers, "Piper, Leo...cancer is a...painful disease. Your son, for the next few months, will be constantly drugged, nauseated...and in pain. These are facts that you, as parents, need to understand and come to terms with. Even though pain killers and stomach calming drugs, this won't be an easy thing for your son."

"What do we need to do?" Leo asked, softly.

"Make sure he stays on schedule with his medicines," Jennifer stated, "He will have two chemo pills that he has to take orally daily. Three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - he'll get a cocktail of intravenous chemotherapy. Once a week, Thursday, he will come here for radiation therapy. Monthly, I would like to do a spinal tap to make sure the disease hasn't spread. Furthermore, every Friday, before treatment, I would like to send his blood out for a full CBC."

"And when will, um, treatment start?" Piper said.

Jennifer gestured towards the packet in Piper's hands, "In there, the next 3 months of treatment schedules are in there. Most of them will be the days that I stated beforehand - Monday, Wednesday, Friday - but there will be exceptions for holidays and such. In the packet, there is also a recommended diet to help with Chris's nausea. If there is anything else, my number and the radiologist that will be taking care of Chris's radiation therapy. Treatment will start next Monday. You will come here at 4pm. Treatment will run around 2 hours. Afterwards, Chris will be extremely nauseated and weak so don't be surprised if he just crawls in bed and sleeps when he gets home."

Piper nodded and took a deep breath. Her grip tightened on the packet of paper, the situation suddenly overwhelming. Jennifer tried to sent the two parents a comforting smile, but she also knew that it wouldn't do anything. "Just take it one step at a time," she softly said, "The prescriptions should be ready at the hospital pharmacy, which is on the first floor. If possible, it would be best for Chris to start with these medications tomorrow morning per the instructions. Everything is detailed in the packet; but please, if you have any questions, no matter the time of day, please don't hesitate to call. My personal cell number is in the packet, feel free to use it."

"Thank you," Piper gasped, "Thank you."

Jennifer smiled and reached out to grasp Piper's hand, "Together, we'll make it through it. It's going to be an uphill battle, but I believe this is one war we can come out of victorious."


	4. Part Four

**A/N : **Sorry for the long delay in posting this. I've been focusing on my original works and getting them published on Amazon, so, subconsciously, fanfiction kind of got put on the back burner. And for new readers, if you're interested on status updates and random musings on stories, you can go on Facebook and find little 'ole me. That's all I have to say. Enjoy the update!

* * *

**Part Four**

"Why can't we heal him?"

Leo glanced at his wife, her beautiful face shadowed in darkness as the two of them lay in bed. With a frown, he bundled her close to him in his arms, wishing he could wipe away all her worries and pain; but knew that lies would only hurt her more. Sighing, Leo looked at the ceiling, his eyes dull and depressed. He thought of his son laying in bed, being attacked by something that he couldn't stop. HIs mother couldn't vanquish this demon with a flick of her wrists; nor, could the Power of Three banish it to the depths of the Underworld.

"It's a mortal disease," Leo answered, softly, "The Elders wouldn't allow us to heal him."

"B-But," Piper sat up, her brown eyes looking at him with a fire that only a mother could harbor, "He's a Blessed One. He and Wyatt are supposed to….They have a destiny, Leo."

Leo smiled sadly, "Perhaps, this is just one more obstacle our sons have to jump over."

"And if he doesn't make it, we'll lose them both!" Piper nearly shouted, "One to death and...Wyatt wouldn't be able-"

Leo softly shushed his wife, gathering her once more. Tears were flowing freely down Piper's cheeks as she sobbed into Leo's bare chest. Closing his eyes, Leo allowed himself to weep.

* * *

It was at 4:03pm on Monday when Chris saw his new life for the next few weeks. The therapy room on the fourth floor was small - it housing only a handful of chairs - and had the stiff, stale air that the hospital always had. A lone woman - thin and slumped - slept in her chair as she retrieved chemo. Her head, which Chris assumed was hairless, was wrapped in a bright pink bandana and her skin was nearly translucent.

Chris felt his heart stop when he realized that one day that could be him : looking as if he was already a corpse hanging onto it's last string of life.

"Chris,"

Doctor Chang's voice made the Halliwells turn, her bright smile welcoming them in a gloomy place "You can choose any seat, honey. Agatha, our resident nurse, will be in shortly to get your IV in your arm and get you started." she explained,

Chris nodded and shuffled towards a vacant seat. Settling into it, he winced at the lack of cushion, it squished back from other cancer patients from the years it's been used. He shuffled a bit, attempting to find a more comfortable position, but eventually settling for one that would undoubtedly give him an aching back when his treatment was finished.

"Hello, I'm Agatha," a plump woman, her dark brown hair pulled tight into a bun, and her bright green eyes dimmed with weariness entered the room with a pleasant smile, "I'm the head nurse here in the Oncology department. How are you all doing today?"

Piper gave Agatha a tight smile, her hand squeezing Chris's tightly. "Alright, honey," Agatha pulled on a pair of latex gloves, "Can you roll up your sleeve?"

Chris did as he was told, his hand tugging up the dark blue sweatshirt sleeve while Agatha put a large bag full of clear liquid on to the IV hanger. "Okay, I'm going to put an IV into your inner elbow, sweetie," she explained, "The treatment will take about two hours. We'll keep you here fifteen minutes afterwards to make sure you don't have any serious side-effects and then you can go home for the rest of the day." while she told the family the details, she quickly pushed in two syringes into the bag, "Any questions?"

"No," Leo answered, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around Piper's shoulders.

Agatha nodded and quickly, efficiently put an IV port into Chris's arm and hooked him up to his first treatment. Chris leaned back and allowed his eyes to close. He tried not to focus on the warmth spilling into his arms nor the stale air around him. He attempted to picture his bedroom - the dark blue walls and numerous music awards hanging on the walls. Before he knew it, he slipped into slumber's embrace.

He wasn't awoken by the needle being pulled out of his skin, nor the chatter of his family. He was awoken by the sharp churning on his stomach and the urge to expel every morsel of food he ate within the last twenty-four hour period. Luckily, a soft pink basin was shoved into his hands just as he vomited, it burning his throat and not easing his stomach at all.

With a groan, he leaned back, a faint blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Agatha smiled at him, seemingly unphased by him as she took the basin from him and walked out of the room. "Am I done?" croaked Chris.

"Just a few more minutes, peanut," his mother answered, her fingers lightly weaving through his hair, "They want to make sure you don't have anymore side effects than the normal ones."

"You mean besides feeling like I was puke everything that I've ever eaten?" Chris moaned.

Piper frowned and continued to brush Chris's hair with her fingers, hoping she was giving her son some sense of comfort. Agatha entered once more, a small, remorseful smile on her face as she took the IV port out of Chris's arm and pressed a square of gauze onto the puncture wound. A small piece of medical tape kept it pressed against the skin. "Alright, honey, if you're not feeling anything besides the nausea you can go."

Chris nodded and pushed himself up, waving a bit on his feet, only standing firmly once Wyatt placed a hand on Chris's lower back. Weakly, Chris was led by his brother towards the exit. Chris frowned when he noticed that the older woman was gone, a small piece of him hoping that he will see her again. Chris leaned against his brother as Wyatt lead him to the SUV, their parents still inside getting the last minute details from the doctor and Agatha. Chris groaned as Wyatt helped him into the backseat, his head spinning. He felt as if every bit of energy was expended. Wyatt climbed in beside him and allowed Chris to slump against him. "I feel like I could sleep for ages."

Wyatt frowned and softly weaved his fingers through Chris's hair, knowing that the action soothed his little brother. "Do you still feel nauseated?"

Chris nodded weakly, the teen's eyes squeezed shut tightly. He was just starting to fall asleep when he heard his parents enter the car. He heard his mother whisper something, his older brother answering. The familiar, sharp chill that always seem to shadowed him made him curl into Wyatt's side, desperately trying to pull every ounce of warmth he could from his older brother. The soft rumble of the car eventually lulled him to sleep.

* * *

Chris could feel that something was off as soon as he stepped into the manor. His mother's and father's demeanor quickly flashed to anxiety, their shoulders squaring and their eyes looking everywhere. His brother instantly went into his usual protective mode, Wyatt stepping front of Chris as he readied himself to strike at any moment.

The demon arose from the ground and pushed his parents aside, his mother crashing into the wall and his father tumbling over the couch in the living room. Wyatt swore and his shield flashed to life. The electrical buzz was a familiar and comforting one that Chris knew since he was a small child. With a sigh, Chris step around Wyatt to stand beside him. The demon stood with a manic smile, her bright purple eyes set on Wyatt.

"Twice-Blessed," her voice was on par of a snake's, "Protecting your kin like a bloody dog. Why bother with them? They're merely holding you down."

Wyatt narrowed his eyes and with a wave of his hand sent the demon crashing into the dining room table behind her. She grunted in pain but stood relatively quickly. "Tsk, tsk, that won't do, Twice-Blessed."

Chris frowned, "No, but this might,"

Chris flicked his wrists and watched as the demon shrieked as her right arm was blown to pieces. "Damn, I was hoping to get rid of her completely." he huffed, wincing when a sharp pain seem to reverberate through his head.

"Little Halliwell feeling a little weak?" the demon boasted, her right arm slowly reforming.

Chris sneered at the demon but couldn't argue it. He could feel the chemotherapy sneaking up again; a churning stomach and the sense of utter exhaustion coming over him again. Wyatt glanced at his brother and then back at the demon.

"Unknown demon with purple eyes," Chris softly chanted, "Flames and pain will be your demise."

The demon twitched before she gasped, flames growing from her feet before engulfing her whole body. A few seconds later, a soft implode could be heard. Chris groaned, strength leaving him as he collapsed to his knees. "Chris!"

"I'm fine," Chris pushed Wyatt's hands away, "Check on mom and dad." he muttered, leaning forward as his stomach gave a harsh churn.

"But-"

"Mom. Dad. Now, Wy." Chris groaned before jumping up and bolting up the stairs.

He crashed into the bathroom and barely made it to the sink before he vomited. His throat burned and his stomach clenched. Once finished, he slid down and leaned against the sink counter. A few seconds later, he felt the familiar presence of his brother settling beside him. "You're suppose to be checking on mom and dad." Chris whispered, his voice hoarse.

"They're fine," Wyatt answered, "Dad was healing Mom when he told me to come up here."

Chris sighed, wincing when his stomach gave another harsh cramp. He felt his brother rub his back as Chris rode through this wave of pain. With a long breath, Chris leaned back, the pain slowly ebbing away.

"Kit?"

"I'm fine. Go check on Mom and Dad. I'm...I'm gonna go lay in bed for a bit."

"Chris-"

Chris slowly stood up, "Just go Wy, I'm fine." he said before he shuffled to his bedroom, and welcomed the dark abyss of slumber once his body hit his bed.


	5. Part Five

**Part Five**

The days began and ended much the same for the weeks. Chris woke up, lethargic and feeling as if every ounce of energy was zapped from him. He trudged his way through the daily toils of the day, be it school or merely looking as if he had the energy to run after his young cousins or smile at his worrying aunts. Every morsel of food only made his stomach churn; but, he continued to force himself to eat just so he could keep the his parents happy. The nosebleeds continued, as well the falling strands of brown. His once lush hair was becoming thinner and thinner. As the days passed on, his reflection got further and further away from the man he use to be.

Two weeks after his initial therapy, Chris found himself the owner of a central venous access device, more commonly referred to as a port. It was a simple device that looked as if he merely had a bump below his collarbone. With chemotherapy three times a week, Doctor Chang requested that Chris partake in the surgery to save his arm from the constant exposure to the harsh toxins of the treatment and for more medicine to get into the circulatory system. While Chris was thankful not to have to get his inner elbow poked every other day, he didn't like the stares he got from having an obvious medical device installed on his chest.

School ended a few days after the surgery, and Chris was overjoyed to have it overwith. Chemo zapped any energy he had left over, and he found it hard to get out of bed the day afterwards with his stomach churning and cramping. Plus, Doctor Chang didn't like that Chris was exposing himself to so many germs and viruses when his immune system was being compromised by the leukemia and the chemo.

Three weeks and two days after the diagnosis, Chris found himself half-asleep on the couch while his family talked and laughed as their weekly Sunday family gathering. They arrived about ten minutes ago, and he wanted to go up to hug them and greet them, his legs refused to work and he knew if he stood he would just collapse back onto the couch. Even opening his eyes seemed to be a fruitless effort. "Aunt Piper, where Chris?"

Guilt sank low in Chris's stomach. Only three years old, Penny didn't truly understand what cancer was and what it was doing to Chris's body. She merely thought that Chris had a demon to fight and in her eyes, vanquishing a demon only took a poem or a flick of a wrist. "He's sleeping, honey," Phoebe's voice answered softly, a hint of sadness in her words.

"But he's always sleeping!" Penny yelled, "I wanna play!"

"Penelope Marie," Phoebe's tense voice hissed.

Chris forced his eyes open, the world a bit wavy and twisting. With weak arms, he pushed himself up, his joints protesting every movement. "He's awake!" Penny said with a large smile.

Chris managed a half-hearted smile, "Hi everyone."

"Go back to sleep, honey," Piper said, a frown on her face.

"I'm fine, Mom," Chris answered before chuckling weakly, "I think I can managed to stay awake for a few hours after I slept most of them away."

"How's your chest?" Leo asked.

"It's fine, like it has been since last week," Chris replied, a small smile on his face, "Really Dad, it's fine."

"Chris! Chris!" Penny pushed out of Phoebe's arms before bolting towards her cousin, "Guess what I did!"

Chris winced at the loud level but managed to keep the smile on his face, "What did you do, Penny?"

"I learned how to tie my shoes!" she said, a large smile on her face before a pout formed, "Mommy does it faster than me but-but I try hard."

Chris reached out and ruffled Penny's brown hair, "I'm sure you'll get it down pat before you know it."

"You skinny," Penny said suddenly, "You skinny, Chris. Why?"

"Penny," Prue - the oldest of the cousins at ten - said through gritted teeth. Her twin, Paisley, hurried to grab Penny's hand to drag her away.

Chris laughed, "I might have forgotten to eat a few meals, Penny." he said with a smile, "I don't know why you all are trying to stay so quiet about it," he said with a shake of his head, "I'm pretty sure the news that I have cancer hasn't escaped my notice."

"We just don't want to-"

"Talk about the elephant in the room, Mom?" Chris said with a raised eyebrow, "What are you going to do when I lose all my hair and I'm skinnier than Helen is? No offense."

Wyatt frowned and sat beside his brother on the couch, "He has a point, Mom."

"Just because we don't speak about it won't make it go away, sadly." Chris leaned back in the couch, "I have leukemia, in case anyone was still in the dark about that little fact. Three times a week I get poison pumped into my body and once a week I get radioactive rays launched at my body. In about a month, I'll look like a poster child for cancer, did I leave anything out."

"Kit," Wyatt sighed, shaking his head.

"What, Wy?" Chris snapped, "It's stupid. I have cancer. I have a fucking disease that I could potentially die from and we can't even say the damn name of it!"

"No!"

Chris's green eyes snapped to Penny, the small girl standing in front of him with wide eyes. "You can't die!"

Chris sighed, his hand kneading his forehead before he beckoned Penny to come closer, "Remember that demon we spoke about a couple weeks ago?"

Penny nodded, a frown on her face, "Is that the can...can…"

"Cancer," Chris said softly before nodding.

"And you could die?"

"Really hoping I won't though," Chris answered with a shrug.

"Chris!"

"I'm not going to lie to her," Chris answered his aunt quietly, "It's a possibility. I'm not going to tell her I'm going to live and then I don't."

"But you fight, right?"

Chris smiled at his cousin, it tight and strained, "As long as I can,"

* * *

Two days after the gathering, Wyatt found his brother shivering and sweating in bed. Chris barely broke through the feverish sleep only to pass out again. Wyatt cursed and ran to his parent's bedroom, practically breaking down the door in the process of slamming it open. A gasping response was Piper's and Leo's answer to the reasoning behind it.

Leo threw on a shirt and ran towards his sons' bedroom, Piper calling Doctor Chang and gathering her purse and keys. Leo wrapped his youngest in his comforter and picked him up, the boy groaning in protest and his forehead on fire. Wyatt clutched his brother close as his mother raced towards the hospital.

Thirty minutes after Chris was carted into the emergency room, the three of them found themselves headed up to the second floor of the hospital and into the surgical waiting room. The tube in Chris's chest had become infected, the bacteria festering and attacking at the boy's weakened immune system. The doctor estimated that the infection was less than 24 hours old; but, with the cancer and chemo killing every barrier against viruses and bacteria practically suppressed to the level of nothingness, it swept through Chris's body and weakened him tremendously.

Hours later, the waiting room was dominated by the Halliwell family awaiting news on their youngest male. The surgeon entered the room with a wary expression and his sea green scrubs dotted in blood. "We got the port out," he explained, "And flushed out most of the infection. We put him on intravenous antibiotics to hopefully get rid of the rest that remains in his system."

"Hopefully?" Leo echoed, "What do you mean, hopefully?"

"Mr. Wyatt, his immune system has been battered. With chemo and leukemia, your son is heavily susceptible to illness and infections. If he returns home after this, he will have to wear a sterile mask when interacting with anybody outside of the immediate family and when he is outside of his home. Your home will need to be installed with special air filters and everyone will have to remain as clean as possible when within the general vicinity of him." the surgeon explained.

"All of that?" Piper whispered.

"He's been lucky thus far," said the surgeon, "But if your son gets another severe illness or infection, I don't think his body would be able to bounce back fully."

Wiping her eyes, Piper looked at surgeon before nodding, "Can we see him?"

"He's in the recovery room still," the surgeon answered, "In a few hours, he'll be transferred to a quarantined ICU room. You can see him there."

"Thank you, doctor." Leo said, softly.

The surgeon looked at the family once more, taking in their sullen looks, before walking back into the surgical wing of the hospital and onto the next patient.

* * *

Through thick plastic windows, Piper looked at her youngest son with pain in her heart. His brows were furrowed in pain even though he was unconscious. Her oldest held onto Chris's hand, his blue eyes looking at his younger brother as if he was agony, which probably wouldn't be far from the truth knowing her sons.

She thanked every deity that she knew that she was blessed with two beautiful children. With the scarring on her uterus, she was thankful that she was able to conceive Wyatt after many months of trying. When the precious blond bundle was placed in her arms while she laid sprawled on the dining room table, she knew that she was put on this Earth to be a mother. She fell in love with a brunette girl when she went into the future years before Wyatt's birth; but, just like Prue's unforeseen death, Wyatt's gender was a shock.

For the first few months of Wyatt's life, she didn't know if she could raise a son. She always thought she was going to have a girl, just like every Halliwell before her. She pictured dresses and braides, not football and mud.

But she also thought she would have multiple children; but, once the doctor told her about her condition and the complications she had with Wyatt's pregnancy, she didn't see a sibling for her precious son. She didn't want Wyatt to be an only child. Her and Leo spoke about adoption, finding a small child with magical powers to raise as their own alongside their son.

But then demons and magical problems became the focus once more, and protecting their sole child was more important than a sibling at that moment. But then a neurotic, heroic, twenty-three-year-old man told of a future that was ripe in darkness because of the son she desperately tried to protect. But when her sisters told her of a sibling already growing in her womb for Wyatt with sheepish smiles, her heart leapt for joy. When she saw her grown-up son standing in the threshold of her bedroom, his body taut with anxiety, she vowed that no harm would come to either of her children.

Her precious sons. The lone men of the next generation, both with a destiny that put the Charmed Ones to shame, would always be her greatest accomplishment in her life.

Her oldest that was every ounce of good that she dreamed of him be. No hint of the evil that she feared would bleed into him no matter how much she tried to keep it out. Kindness was at the forefront of his mind just like Leo's, and when she looked at Wyatt, she could see her husband in every feature.

Then her baby. Her features with the eyes of green that she remembered Grams saying that she only seen in ancestors far back in the Halliwell line. Strong and proud, her youngest was her and her late oldest sister boiled into one. There were times when Piper would look at him and wonder if she wasn't looking at Prue once more.

Both were powerful in their own rights. Wyatt, with his ability to hone in on pure energy and the soul of King Arthur living in him, was no doubt the feared one within the Halliwell family. However, her youngest was no mere witch either. The whole family was shocked when they found him wielding the four major elements along with the telekinesis that they knew he would inherit. With a few more passive powers in his arsenal, Chris was on par with his older brother. Within the magical community, there were whispers of another Arthurian soul being reincarnated within Chris; although, the Elders never confirmed it.

But they never denied it either, much to Piper's chargin.

And even with all that power...Wyatt could move buildings and conjuring beasts with a mere thought. She could stop time and blow up city blocks. Leo could heal gunshot wounds and vanish in a series of lights. But yet, they couldn't stop Chris's body from attacking itself.

As she watched Wyatt breakdown, the severity of reality crashing down upon him, Piper wished with every bone in her body that she could take Chris's spot.

If she remembered correctly from fifteen years ago, she was suppose to perish.

Not him.

* * *

Chris came back home with a blue mesh mask over his nose and mouth, and a new port in his chest. Exhaustion hung on him like a wet blanket, his eyes glazed over and his shoulders slumped. It took three days for the infection to fully leave Chris's body and another two days to get the okay to go back home with strict orders. The family was now required to wash their hands or use an ample amount of hand sanitizer before touching Chris and he was to be kept in an environment as sterile as possible.

Wyatt guided his younger brother up the stairs and to their bedroom. Chris curled into his bed without a second thought, the latest chemotherapy treatment making him more lethargic than usual. As per habit, Wyatt moved the trash can closer to the side of the bed in case Chris got sick. "Wy?"

Wyatt smiled and sat on the edge of his younger brother's bed, "Hey, get some rest."

"I think I get enough of that already," Chris weakly joked.

"One can never get enough rest when they're ill,"

Wyatt could see Chris roll his eyes even though they were closed. "If I keep it up, I'll sleep through my death."

"Hey, what did I say about joking about that shit,"

Chris sighed weakly, "Sorry….Hey, Wy?"

"Yeah, Kit?"

Tired green eyes peered up at him, "Can you do me a favor?"

* * *

Leo softly knocked on his sons' bedroom door, hoping that his youngest didn't' have his usual headache that always seemed to linger after treatment. Hearing no answer to his knock, Leo frowned and gently pushed the door open. The usual messy disarray of his sons' bedroom didn't shock him as the boys never kept their room to the level of cleanliness that he or Piper wanted. And even though it was cramped for two teenage boys to living in the same room together, the boys never made no move to seek separate bedrooms.

If this was because of demon attacks sneaking in at night or their close bond, neither of them knew.

"Boys?" He said, peering deeper into the room only to have his heart clench.

It wasn't the sight of his sons curled up in one bed. It was sight he often saw when they were toddlers and kids, the other comforting the ill or scared one by wrapping around them. Wyatt was on his side, his arms wrapped tightly around his brother as if he was trying to protect him from every evil in the world by doing so. But the sight of his youngest son bald skull made tears well up in his eyes. Even the horrors of war, the years of being a whitelighter to dozens of witches, and the schizophrenic visions of Gideon's head chasing him, paled in comparison to see his youngest son bald, underweight and shivering against his oldest son's chest.

_I can't lose him again_, he thought, _I can't lose him again, Oh God, not again._

He didn't realize he was crying until he felt the droplets drip off of his chin.


	6. Part Six

**Part Six**

Piper saw her son's bare head and felt her heart clench. She held back the tears that desperately wanted to spring forth and focused on getting her sick son to eat a few more bites of dinner. Now without his thick brown hair, Chris looked somehow weaker. It was as if he de-aged a few years. Without the bangs, his tired, sage eyes seemed more obvious now, along with his high cheekbones that only seem to become more prominent as his weight tumbled downwards.

His arms and wrist, always thin and firm with toned muscle, looked like branches on a budding tree that were threatened to break every time a gust blew through.

Her son no longer looked like her son anymore.

And it broke her heart.

* * *

Once again, the weeks flew by with the chemotherapy and radiation therapy keeping both Piper and Leo busy. Wyatt was usually the one that nursed his brother once Chris came crawling back, the man always weak and nauseated after his treatments. A month and half after Chris's diagnosis, Piper found herself waking up on her 46th birthday. She laid in bed, hearing her husband getting her usual breakfast-in-bed together with a few muffled curses and grunts. A few seconds later, the door eased open and a smiling Leo walked through the threshold with a small wooden tray in his hands.

"Happy Birthday, dear." Leo greeted, leaning down to peck Piper's lips, "Here's your breakfast."

Piper smiled as the tray was set in her lap, a simple breakfast of eggs and hash browns with a side of toast on it along with glass of orange juice and a single rose. "Thank you,"

Halfway through her breakfast, the door opened again. "Happy birthday Mom!"

Piper chuckled, her mouth half full as Wyatt and Chris greeted her loudly before wrapping her in their arms and pecking both of her cheeks. "Thank you, boys."

"Chris, don't forget you have chemo today," Piper said, once her breakfast was done, "I'll drive-"

"Wy's gonna take me," Chris interrupted, "Dad is taking you out on a date."

"And please, get a hotel room if it's going to lead to anything at home," Wyatt said, smirking.

Chris cringed, "Wy, shut up."

Piper raised an eyebrow, "Do I get a say about this?"

"No, not really," Chris said, shrugging.

Piper playfully glared at her children before gathering them once more in a tight embrace, "Thank you, sweethearts." she said, pecking both of their temples before releasing them.

The two boys smiled before they shuffled out, wishing both their parents a good day before they go ready for their own day. Piper sighed and pushed the few last remaining bites of her fried egg around, "I don't think-"

"If we don't, we're going to be in trouble," Leo said, heading over to the closet.

"They're our children, not the other way around," Piper lightly argued.

Leo chuckled, "You know they won't let us not go, Piper. Might as well go and attempt to have fun. We'll have our cells handy if anything go wrong."

Piper sighed, her fight leaving her as she threw the blanket aside and swung her legs over. "If for one minute, I think there's something wrong-"

"I'll orb us home without a second thought."

* * *

Wyatt never went with his brother to chemotherapy before. He always saw the treatment's remains and, for him, that was enough. He never wanted to see his brother sitting in a chair and willingly take in poison. Today would be the first day that he would have to see Chris in that kind of environment. Like always, Agatha was there with a small, content smile to greet them; a small flash of surprise flickering over her face when she saw Wyatt appear instead of Piper or Leo. She quickly introduced herself while Chris sat down in his usual seat, his head tipped back and his eyes lifelessly looking up at the off-white ceiling above.

Agatha turned and set up the IV stand, a clear bag already dangling from it. Wyatt watched as Chris pulled his shirt aside to expose the port that was just underneath his collarbone. In a matter of seconds, the drip was all set up and Agatha was walking out the door. Chris shuffled to get more comfortable and let his eyes slip shut. "If you want to go somewhere, you can," Chris said.

Wyatt shook his head, even though he knew Chris couldn't see it, and sat down in a seat beside his brother. "Nah, I'll just stay here."

Chris turned and looked at Wyatt, a small smile on his face, "Thanks, Wy."

* * *

Like always, Chris stumbled into the manor, weak and headed straight for the bathroom. Wyatt winced as he heard his brother throw up the small breakfast he managed to eat this morning. Sighing, Wyatt tossed the keys into the small bowl nestled by the door. He walked up the stairs and eased the bathroom door open with his toe. Like every time before, Wyatt sank to his knees beside his brother and rubbed the quivering back with a firm hand.

A few minutes later, Chris leaned back, his eyes clenched shut and an arm wrapped firmly around his waist. "You okay?" Wyatt whispered.

Chris nodded, "Don't really have anything else to throw up."

"Let's get you in bed then," Wyatt said, standing.

Chris shook his head, "No. I'm going to go in the kitchen and make mom a cake."

"Chris-"

"I do it every year, Wy. It doesn't change now."

"Can I at least help?"

Chris smirked as he looked his brother, "As long as you don't burn down the kitchen."

Wyatt frowned as Chris squeezed out of the bathroom, a fond chuckle coming from the smaller man, "It was one time, and it was grease, not my lack of cooking skills."

"Whatever you say, Wy!" came Chris's response, "Whatever you say."

* * *

The sweet scent of baking made Piper smile as she walked into the manor. She peeled off her jacket and hung it on a hook before making her way towards the kitchen. Through the swinging door, she could hear her sons bickering, a noise she heard quite often since Chris gained the ability to speak. With a smile and a chuckle, she pushed the door open to find her two teenage sons in the midst of a frosting fight. With knifes slathered in white frosting, the two held them as if mini swords. Wyatt already had a sugary wound on his right cheek while Chris had one going over the bridge of his nose.

"Mom!" both boys squarked, their eyes wide.

Piper laughed, her hands on her hips, "I would comment; but, it's my birthday and all punishment duties go to your father."

Leo's head popped into the kitchen, "Boys, why are you fighting with frosting?"

Wyatt and Chris glanced at each other before shrugging, not sure of the answer. "There was frosting left over?" Chris said.

Leo shook his head, "Just make sure you clean up, please."

"Aye, Aye, Dad," Wyatt said, mockingly saluting.

Piper smiled and slid into a seat. "So what is it this year?"

"Chocolate mousse with vanilla cake base and frosting, your favorite." Chris said, sliding the cake towards Piper.

"Thank you, peanut," Piper said, reaching for a knife to cut into the fresh bake cake, "Who wants a slice?"

Leo and Wyatt were quick to nab one while Chris lingered back, a small smile on his face. "You want one, peanut?" Piper asked, a small smile on her face.

Chris shook his head, "I'm still recovering from treatment this morning. I think I'm gonna go lay down for a bit before dinner."

Leo frowned, "You okay, kiddo?"

"Just have a headache." Chris said, "Scream when dinner's ready."

Piper nodded as Chris slide out of the kitchen, and suddenly, the cake didn't taste as wonderful as it did a few minutes ago.


	7. Part Seven

**A/N : **Just want to use this short chapter to say thanks to everyone who has been following this story and reviewing. Thank you very much for reading this story as I know this story isn't exactly a good, happy-feely story and deals with a serious topic. I hope you continue to enjoy this story and I can't wait to hear your feedback. Also, if you would like updates on, well, updates, please friend me on my writing facebook, I post statuses pretty much daily on the updates of my fanfictions and personal, published writing. That's all. Enjoy part seven.

* * *

**Part Seven**

The rest of Piper's birthday was spent in his bed, wincing as his head sent wave after wave of pain through his body. Although not uncommon as it was one of his many, unfortunate side-effects of the numerous medications he was tossing down his throat, this headache was one of the the few that completely immobilized Chris. Frustration bubbled up, infuriated that he was missing his mother's birthday and probably ruining it. He wanted to give his mother a day without worrying about his illness. A day for her.

Sighing, Chris turned on his side and clutched his eyes shut. He forced his body to take long, deep breaths and before long, his body succumbed to sleep.

* * *

The days slowly trickled by with the usual daily toils. The hospital was Chris's second home, and he forgot how to live without a mask around his face. His parents lived in fear of their youngest son getting ill from some wayward virus sneaking in through the front door. When he glanced in the mirror, he saw a branch when once a full man once stood. His weight was measly 90 pounds and felt like a strong gust would break him in half. Warmth was never enough; he always found himself bundled up in one of Wyatt's hoodies and a few of Piper's hand-knitted afghans. "Chris?"

Chris winced at his brother's soft voice before he opened his eyes. His older brother stood, his blue eyes holding their usual worry, as he slowly sat down beside Chris on the bed. "How you feeling?"

Chris chuckled. "Like I've gotten run over by a few dozen buses."

Wyatt smiled, "I meant with your nausea."

"Fine. Clenching stomach pain has taken it's place." Chris said with faux cheerfulness.

Wyatt frowned. "Anything else?"

"Usual headache, usual joint pain, usual pain overall. Usual stuff. Wanna lay down? Keep your twig of a brother warm?"

Wyatt snorted but laid down beside his brother, gently gathering him close. "You've only taken all my hoodies."

"They cover my hands." was Chris's argument.

Wyatt laughed, his hand pushing Chris's head down to his chest, "Rest, Kit."

"Because I don't sleep enough already."

Wyatt frowned and pressed his lips to the top of Chris's bald head. "Just sleep."

"As long as you stay." mumbled Chris, already half-asleep.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, "Like you would let me get up."

Chris smiled and squeezed in closer, his brother's body quickly warming him up, before falling asleep.

* * *

When Chris woke up and couldn't focus on his brother's face, a small shred of fear sparked in his mind. He went through the mental list of all the side-effects of his medications and couldn't remember one bearing the warning of blurred vision. Clenching his eyes shut, Chris gently shook his head, his brother's hand pressing into his shoulder. "I'm fine." Chris said, brushing it off once the world around him snapped back into focus, "Probably just dizziness from the Imatini."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why you wake me up?"

Wyatt slowly sat up, forcing his brother to do the same, "Mom says dinner is about ready."

Chris scowled, "Ugh, not hungry."

"You need to eat."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it. I'm just going to puke most back it up anyways."

"Didn't they give you anti-nausea pills?"

"Not working. Mom says she's gonna talk to them tomorrow." Chris answered.

Wyatt frowned but didn't say anything. He merely stood up and held out his hand to aid his brother. Chris frowned, but accepted the hand. Once he stood, Chris frowned. He watched as Wyatt made his way out of their room, his words muffled and distant.

Then blackness washed over him.

* * *

Chris woke up in the backseat of the SUV, his mother obviously speeding and his brother's hold on him tight enough that he knew he was going to have massive bruises on his arms. "What happened?" Chris slurred.

Wyatt's eyes snapped downward, wide with fright and shock. "Chris! You okay?"

"I'm in the car so I'm guessing no." Chris mumbled, pressing his face against Wyatt's body, his upper body laying in Wyatt's lap.

"Y-You had a seizure," Wyatt whispered, "You just fell and…"

"Had a seizure," Chris finished, "Lovely. I didn't pee myself did I?"

Wyatt narrowed his eyes, "Now is not the time for jokes, Chris."

"I'm not joking. I'm really hoping I didn't pee myself," Chris grumbled.

"Kit," Wyatt sighed.

"We're here." Piper said, her voice shaking, "I called Doctor Chang beforehand. She should be in the ER."

Chris nodded. Wyatt gently slid out before helping his brother out. Chris winced as pain shot through his knees; his joints still and aching from the chemotherapy. They slowly made their way to the Emergency Room, Doctor Chang quickly bringing them to an exam room. "When did the seizure happen?"

"About thirty minutes ago," Piper answered, "It lasted about two, maybe three, minutes."

Doctor Chang nodded as she did a check-up on Chris. Her fingers pressed into his lymph nodes in his neck. She watched as Chris winced as she moved his elbows and knees. "Joint pain, rate 1-10, honey, please."

"About a six when I move them." Chris replied.

Doctor Chang sighed, "I'm going to do a spinal tap on Chris today."

"Why?" Piper said.

Chris sighed, "Its probably in my spinal cord and brain now."

"Your son's right, unfortunately," Doctor Chang said softly, "A seizure is usually one of the symptoms of leukemia invading the inner spinal cord and the brain. The added cells apply pressure to the brain causing the seizure."

"B-But-"

"We will wait for the results to be on the safe side," the Doctor quickly interrupted Piper, "Honey, pull off your hoodie and shirt, then curl up."

Chris sighed, slowly peeling off the hoodie and t-shirt. He slowly laid down on his side and brought his knees to his chest and curled his head down to his knees. He could hear Doctor Chang washing her hands before the clanking of instruments told him to prepare. He hissed as he felt a needle go into his skin and into his spinal cord. "Just a few more drops, honey."

"Okay, you can sit up again." Doctor Chang said, "I'm going to go look at this right now. I should be back in a few minutes with the result."

A few minutes slowly turned into thirty, and then sixty. Chris sat on the bed, part of him already knowing the answer. The door eased open and both Piper and Leo shot to their feet. Doctor Chang held a folder in her hands and a glum look on her face.

"There are cancerous cells in Chris's spinal fluid," she said solemnly.

Chris closed his eyes as Piper wailed. "There are a fair amount of them within the spinal cord, which we can assume that there are a fair amount of them within the brain." Doctor Chang continued, "On this, we're elevating Chris's cancer level"

Piper sniffled, "What happens now?"

Doctor Chang closed her folder and her eyes. "Now...Now we admit your son into the Oncology department and we battle this as serious as we can with daily chemotherapy and more frequent radiation therapy."

"Admit? Why-" Leo took a deep breath, "Why can't he go home?"

"Because the treatment will complete abolish his immune system." Doctor Chang stated, "Furthermore, with the increase of treatment, the level of side-effects will be an illness by themselves. Add in the seizures, your son's survival is dependent on him being admitted. Also, if anything happens to go wrong…"

"He's already here." Leo finished.

Doctor Chang nodded, "I know you don't want to but we have to do this if we have any chance of beating this. I would also like to pull blood from all of you as well."

"Why?" Chris asked, "Why would you need to pull blood from them?"

Doctor Chang looked at her patient, "Because, honey, a bone marrow transplant is probably your only chance at long-term survival."


End file.
